Key trends that will drive creative works in 2021
On 19 January 2021, we invited 10 guests to share with us their insights to our question:
“What are the key trends that will drive your creative works in 2021?”
Here are the key themes that we observed in their answers.
Meeting new demands, post-Covid-19 pandemic
Covid-19 has disrupted many industries, so 2021 will be about adapting to the new norm. For instance, with many companies adopting teleconferencing, clients no longer feel the need to work with local creatives. To remain competitive among regional talent, Yugene Lee from JIN Design will be looking at improving his agency’s standards without raising costs and resources.
Belinda Liew, a marketer from T2 Table Tennis League, said that her team will continue innovating on virtual events, which she believes are here to stay. Her company will be reviewing how to be creative with their events, engage fans with quality speakers, and leverage augmented reality to gamify their sport and connect with more table tennis fans.
Similarly, the cinema landscape has been drastically affected. Screenwriter Kew Lin noted that people have been moving towards online consumption of entertainment (e.g. on Netflix). Previously not a fan of the episodic format for storytelling, this is one approach he has started to embrace.
Lastly, Fanny Tham, co-founder of CreativesAtWork, said that speed has become paramount in content creation these days. Freelancers will need to transform themselves into communicators who can relay information quickly and be more open towards smaller, faster moving projects.
Embracing more technology
2020 also saw people embracing technology at an even faster pace. Sean Li-Wen Cheong, a freelance TV director and producer, noted that people have seen how effective technology is through virtual events and digital content creation. He reckons that more money will be invested into digital media compared to traditional media, and plans to adapt and position himself well for the uptake.
Film maker Goh Ying Sheng intends to explore how to use technology more creatively in storytelling, and see how he can create more interactive presentations. For artist Anne-Laure Herrezuelo, technology allowed her to collaborate with other artists for one of her projects during the pandemic. In 2021, she will be looking out for more opportunities – made possible by technology – to work with and learn from other creatives.
Enhancing digital experiences
It’s no secret that businesses need an online presence. But the last year taught many businesses that they to go beyond simply giving information on their websites, and start offering customers online experiences. This year, Lionel Chok, a specialist in immersive technology, will be fulfilling clients’ requests to use augmented reality to virtualise everything from events to showrooms, with extra touches of e-commerce and video conferencing.
Communicating with consumers through highly informative long-form content and great videos will be the focus of He Ruiming from “The Woke Salaryman”. As consumers get savvy thanks to the information overload on the internet, he recommends that creatives take the time to deeply understand their clients’ products.
Finally, marketing expert Adeline Tiah believes that consumers are increasingly looking for brands with empathy, a higher purpose, and a sense of humour. In a world where consumers’ attention spans are getting shorter, she plans to focus on hyper-personalisation and meeting customers’ needs, by returning to the principle of highlighting consumer benefits instead of features.
Conclusion
In a new world of telecommuting, safe distancing and virtual events, creatives have been rolling with the punches and pivoting their strategies to stay ahead of these trends. At CreativesAtWork, we continue to root them on in 2021, and can’t wait to see what our community of freelancers will create.
Catch the replay of the session on CreativesAtWork FB or down below. Follow our Facebook page for updates on the next lunchtime seminar.
Also, check out Storeys and Thriving Singapore, two projects that were mentioned during the seminar.
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